Broken
by Divepup
Summary: I stood frozen to the spot, my eyes widened in shock and, within moments, pain. I was standing on a cliff about fifteen feet up, staring at my previous family. I felt a sharp pain as my eyes wandered over each shocked face. Esmé, Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper,
1. Prologue

**Chapter 1: Welcome**

I stood frozen to the spot, my eyes widened in shock and, within moments, pain. I was standing on a cliff about fifteen feet up, staring at my previous family. I felt a sharp pain as my eyes wandered over each shocked face. Esmé, Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Alice…Edward.

I hadn't seen them in almost a hundred years. I had learned to deal with the pain, to shove it aside when something would randomly remind me of them. I stared at the faces of the people I loved more than life as they stared back at mine.

"Bella!" squealed Alice, her tiny form darting towards me, her tiny arms raised for a hug as she scaled the cliff. I was too shocked to react, but I let her hug me. It felt nice to have her arms around me once more.

"Alice," was all I could force out, hugging her back. I had missed her ecstatic personality so much it was a physical pain. For I minute I was happy, overjoyed to have my family back. Then I remembered that they had left.

I stiffened in Alice's arms, throwing my physical and mental shield around my body, blocking any abilities focused on me. Pain. The hole in my chest seared, growing larger to encompass half my heart. I wiped any emotion from my face, but couldn't force all of it out of my eyes.

Alice felt my body freeze and pulled back immediately to look at my face. For a minute I was sure that she saw my panicked expression, but I hid behind the mask that I would always use when I was in too much pain.

Confusion crossed her face as her eyes unfocused slightly, an expression mirrored by her husband. They couldn't use their powers on me. Alice couldn't see my future and Jasper couldn't mess with my emotions.

I straitened myself a bit and wordlessly motioned with my head for them to follow. I kept myself emotionless, blank as I led them through the woods and back towards my house.

I led them through the back door to the first floor. I had taken to buying large houses since I always seemed to have more than one extra person living with me.

We walked into the kitchen, interrupting Paul, who was rooting through my fridge.

"Paul!" I snapped, pretending to be mad, but the effect was slightly ruined by my smirk. I marched up to him as he looked up in alarm, plucking the bag of potato chips out his arms. I quickly covered him with my mental shield. "These belong to Jake. _NOT_ you."

Paul grinned, not noticing the Cullens yet, and ruffled my hair playfully. "Ahh, he don't mind." I scowled at him, then sighed, placing the bag back on top of the fridge.

"You could at least be polite. We have company." I motioned with my thumb to where the Cullens were standing, watching the exchange with a couple mouths open. I smiled, then turned back to Paul, who, looked absolutely livid. He was shaking violently, barely holding himself together. "Calm, Paul." I said without moving my voice from it's normal volume.

Before he could argue, I cut him off as he opened his mouth to speak his mind. "When does Jake get back?" He stared at me for a second, then swallowed and said "Any minute now" while he started to shake more violently.

"Okay. You should leave." He nodded enthusiastically, turning to jump out a nearby window before bursting into his wolf form in midair. I growled, leaning out the window and yelling at his retreating form. "That's the last pair of jeans I loan to a werewolf!"

I groaned, forgetting for a minute that I had an audience. "He really needs to learn to keep his temper to a minimum…" I muttered, getting lost in my shopping list.

I snapped back to reality when Emmett started laughing. I looked around in confusion, raising an eyebrow as he doubled over. I smiled a bit and walked over to the sink – which was filled with dishes – and grabbing one to wash, trying to distract myself. "You. Live. With. A. Werewolf." He managed to choke out between guffaws.

I sighed, pretending to not care, and informed him of the situation. "No, Paul does not live with me. He frequently stayed over. I only have one permanent resident werewolf."

I turned from the plate, giving in and deciding to devote my attention to something else. I brushed past them, heading for the living room, picking up different articles of clothes the Pack had left around. I kept a special wardrobe just for their visits.

They followed me, watching as I threw them neatly into a basket in different corners of each room. I motioned for them to take a seat on the couch, heading for the arms chair facing them. They obeyed, still looking slightly stunned. Carlisle was the first to speak.

"What happened, Bella?" He tried to catch my eye, but I refused to look at him. I was saved by a loud bang as the front door closed.

I very hyper teen came running in faster than humanly acceptable, not noticing the Cullens, her eyes zeroing in on me. "Mom!" She cried, running over to jump up and down in front of me excitedly. "Jake says we can go to the amusement park again, can we?"

Jake came strolling in with a big grin on his face, which immediately faded as he spotted the Cullens. I watched as Renesmee realized that the room had gone quiet. She turned to look at the Cullens, surprised. "Oh, sorry. Who are you?"

**EPOV**

I watched as Bella walked towards a large house. She didn't say a word, but led us through the back door to the first floor. We walked through a small hallway and into a brightly lit kitchen.

There was already someone there, shuffling around in the refrigerator, looking for soda. Bella walked right up to him, like this was a regular occurrence.

"Paul!" She snapped at him, her voice playfully hostile. She marched up to him as he looked up in alarm, plucking the bag of potato chips out his arms. "These belong to Jake. _NOT_ you." His thoughts disappeared.

He grinned at her sheepishly, not noticing us, and ruffled her hair playfully. I almost attacked him right then and there, but I was held back by Alice, who was feeling very, very nervous. All out futures had disappeared.

"Ahh, he don't mind." He said, rubbing the back of his head and smiling at Bella. She sighed, replacing the bag back on top of the fridge.

"You could at least be polite. We have company." She motioned with her thumb to where we were standing. It was then that I realized that a couple of ourmouthes were wide open in shock. I quickly closed mine. She smiled breifly, turning back to the man, who was looking at us with hatred in his eyes. He was shaking violently, like he was about to explode. I caught his scent, feeling my nose catch fire as I did. Werewolf. "Calm, Paul." She said without wavering, obviously used to it. She knew. She _knew_ he was a werewolf and she let him near her?

He opened his mouth to say something, but Bella cut him off. "When does Jake get back?"

She obviously was expecting someone to come. Someone named Jake.

He stared at her for a second, then swallowed and said "Any minute now" while he started to shake more violently.

"Okay. You should leave." She said, nodding toward the window. He nodded enthusiastically, turning to jump out before bursting into his wolf form in midair. She growled, obviously upset by something, leaning out the window and yelling at his retreating form. "That's the last pair of jeans I loan to a werewolf!"

I gaped again. She wasn't concerned about him ripping her head off, but ripping her laundry? She was incredible.

She groaned, muttering "He really needs to learn to keep his temper to a minimum…" as she stared at a wall.

We all jumped a little when Emmett started laughing. We looked at him as if he had completely lost his mind.

Bella smiled a little, the expression gone as fast as it appeared, and walked over to a sink filled with dishes and grabbing one, immediately digging a little bit too zealously, betraying her nervousness at having us here "You. Live. With. A. Werewolf." Emmett managed to choke out between guffaws. _Dude, she's got_ guts_._

She sighed, pretending to not care, and said calmly. "No, Paul does not live with me. He frequently stays over. I only have one permanent resident werewolf."

Suddenly I was incredibly jealous of him and wondering why Bella would put herself in so much danger.

She turned from the plate, deciding to grace us with a cautious glance. Then she walked past us, heading for a larger room where we could all fit more comfortably. Automatically, she started picking up different articles of clothes from different pieces of furniture, throwing them into random baskets that were already half full.

She motioned for us to take a seat on the couch, heading for the arms chair opposite. We obeyed, all still a little confused. Carlisle broke the silence that followed.

"What happened, Bella?" He tried unsuccessfully to catch her eye. Before she could answer, a loud bang resounded through the house and two heartbeats became loud as their owners appeared through a hallway.

I very hyper teen came running in faster than humanly acceptable, not taking any notice of us, but immediately running to Bella. "Mom!" She cried, running over to jump up and down in front of her excitedly. "Jake says we can go to the amusement park again, can we?"

Another man, looking to be in his twenties, came strolling in with a big grin on his face, which immediately faded as he spotted us. Jacob Black. I recognized him as quickly as he recognized us.

_Oh, no._ Was his only thought, his memories taking over from there.

_Bella, her eyes dead as Sam carried her out of the forest by her house. She looked broken and fail, wet like she had spent an entire night outside. _Jacob's memory immediately placed this as the day after we left.

_Bella was waving at him as she sat on the beach, surrounded in a blanket. She stood to greet him, and what I had taken to be a blanket was revealed completely. Her stomach was swollen like a balloon. She was pregnant._

My eyes turned to the hyper teen the was bouncing in front of Bella, shocked. Bella didn't answer, but waited for the girl to realize our presence. She turned immediately, showing her face.

I gasped. She looked exactly like me, her face undeniably beautiful, but a couple shades darker. She had a lovely tan, making her skin glow healthily and matching her curly honey and brown hair, which reached half way down her back, like Bella's. She had her mother's shape, a perfect copy. But most importantly, she had her eyes. Twin pools of molten chocolate surveyed us with open curiosity. She spoke, her voice weaving to form a perfect soprano. "Oh, sorry. Who are you?"


	2. Welcome Home

_Ok, so to answer one of the more popular questions: Bella is a vampire, yes. The reason Jake and the Pack haven't aged is because they are werewolves, and werewolves don't age. (It's in the book people). _

_This is set after New Moon, where Edward managed to keep away from her for the duration of her human years. From now on I'll try to stick to only Bella's POV. Except when necessary. _

_I decided to nickname Renesmee 'Ren' because Nessie just sounds a bit too cutesy for a teenager._

**Chapter 2**

**BPOV**

I sighed and got up, slipping over to Jake. "Hey, I need to speak to them for a bit. Can you…?" I didn't need to finish. Jacob immediately grabbed Renesmee's hand and started pulling her towards the door.

Renesmee looked at me, confused. I smiled a bit at her. "I need to talk to them alone for a bit, babe. You guys can come back for dinner with the Pack, ok?."

She nodded, knowing there was something more, but letting Jake pull her towards the door. She reached out and grabbed my hand, sending me a memory of us hugging and wordlessly adding: I love you. You _will_ explain this later.

I nodded and she let Jake finish pulling her towards the hall, taking a last glance at the Cullens, letting her eyes linger on Edward. She glanced back to me, confused again. She rooted herself to the spot for a minute, glancing between me and Edward and then her face exploded into a smile as Jake gave one last tug, pulling her completely into the hall.

I heard a car door slam a few moments later, followed by the roar of the engine. As the sound disappeared, I heard Jake say a rather inappropriate curse word.

It was silent for a minute as the Cullens' eyes stayed riveted to where Renesmee had been. Then as one their eyes shot back to me.

I couldn't help but smile a bit at their reactions. So Aro _hadn't_ told them. I sighed and sat back down in my chair. Almost immediately they snapped out of it.

"What the hell?" Rosalie.

"Whoa." Emmett.

"What happened, Bella?!" Carlisle. I decided to answer Carlisle, since he was the only one who had actually asked me anything. Edward still looked shocked.

"I got pregnant just before Edward left. I was going to inform him, but he ran a bit too fast for me." I looked out the window absently, trying not to remember. "I befriended Jake in the next few days, and he became a werewolf within the month."

I returned my attention to their faces. "The Pack spent night and day trying to find a way to save me, but they couldn't find anything and I refused to kill her." I paused, letting them absorb it.

"Then in swooped the Volturi, who came to visit you, but seemed to have missed out on your forwarding address as well. Aro saved me minutes after she was born, injecting me with so much venom that it saved me. I became a newborn vampire." I turned away again. Of course, Aro tried to persuade us to move in with him in Italy, become one of his guard. We refuse him every year now." I smiled a bit, giggling. "He even tried to get Jake to join, but Jake wouldn't do that; he's imprinted on Renesmee. Wherever she goes, he goes."

I turned back to them, still smiling a bit. Then I removed my mask, letting all my emotions show, dropping my physical shield and letting Jasper know how I felt. I needed them to understand.

"Renesmee stopped aging seven years later at around the human age of seventeen. She's been the same since." I smiled, deciding to add: "She seems to have a bit of all of you in her; Carlisle's compassion, Esmé's love, Jasper's strait forwardness, Alice's energy, Emmett's strength, Rosalie's…confidence, and Edward's intelligence." I turned my eyes to each of them in turn, locking my eyes with theirs. "And she's the only one who's kept me pieced together for so long." I finished, barely whispering the words and keeping my eyes locked on Edward's, determined to make him understand how much I needed Renesmee. He may not love me anymore, but I still loved him.

Then something changed in his eyes. His shock melted into grief as he took in what I said, then they melted into love. I quickly retreated behind my physical shield, alarmed. He couldn't love Renesmee yet, although I knew that he would after he met her, and that confused me. He didn't love me anymore, so why was he looking at me like he used to?

I yanked my eyes away from his and turned them to Carlisle, who was looking just a bit shocked. He started muttering to himself. "Shouldn't be possible…what…"

I smiled. He had a tendency to lose focus when he was shocked. "Carlisle, nobody here speaks mumbo-jumbo." I joked easily, almost freely now. He turned back to me, still curious. "Bella, what did you mean when you said 'Jacob imprinted on'…'on Renesmee'?"

I frowned. Me and my big mouth. "Werewolves have a…different…system when it comes to falling in love. They call it _imprinting_. Jake imprinted on Renesmee the first time he saw her. Jake will do anything to make Ren happy. They mold to whatever there 'imprintee' needs right then – if she needs a friend, he's that, if she needs a boyfriend, he becomes that. All they care about is the happiness of their 'imprintee'." I smiled as I said it, happy that Jake was happy.

"That's why I'm such close friends with the Pack and why I have so many articles of clothing laying around." I smiled wider. "They come here whenever the need to chill out, or they were on rounds and need a place to crash for the night. The one in the kitchen was Paul; he's definitely the worst of them. He has a temper and he's always hungry, which means I still have to cook almost every night. Emily comes round every once in a while to help."

I got up, reasoning that the conversation was over. At the same time, Sam walked in, wearing only the sweat pants he carried with him. I threw him a shirt I found on a lamp without missing a beat. He caught it, smiling a bit at me, and turned to the Cullens. I put my shield over him.

"Hello. I see you've decided to come back." His face was diplomatically calm. "Did you wish to reinstate the Treaty?"

"They just got here, Sam." I said, rolling my eyes. "Besides, why would they need to?" I walked up and gave him a hug, grinning. "I'm family, aren't I?"

He laughed a bit, removing his ridiculously calm composure. I wondered if I had looked like that. "Of course you are, Bella. But I'm not exactly sure you're a vampire quite yet." I pretended to look insulted.

"That," I said, waggling my finger under his nose and looking at him with fake sternness. "Is not my fault. How the heck was I supposed to know?"

He shrugged, but grinned a bit. "But that still makes you, at least partially, family. But technically you're not one of the Cullens."

I winced, hurt. I knew that perfectly well, but it still hurt for it to be said aloud. I scowled. "No dinner for the dog."

He laughed loud this time, ruffling my hair like Paul. This was by far the most annoying habit the Pack had picked up from Jacob. "I'll be eating at my wife's, thank you." **(I know that technically Emily is supposed to be dead, but I can't live without her and Sam together, so deal.)**

I rolled my eyes, turning back to the vampires sitting on my couch. "Joker, this one." I mumbled. Then I turned and smiled angelically at Sam. "She's supposed to come here and help me feed the ones on patrol tonight." He scowled at this.

Embry came in a moment later, flanked by Quil. They didn't even spare a glance for the Cullens, going directly to me and doing their puppy dog faces. I groaned, putting my hands over my face and tugging down. "You're on patrol." It wasn't a question. They nodded.

"Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear." I muttered, heading to the kitchen. I pulled a packet of hot dogs out of the refrigerator and threw them to Quil. "Get lost, scoundrel." They grinned, running forward and kissing me on check each.

"Thanks, Bells!" They yelled over their shoulders as the darted into the woods.

I sighed and turned back to Sam. "Where were we?" He rolled his eyes, turning to head after his Pack.

"We'll figure it out later." I turned back to the Cullens.

"Want to help with dinner till Emily comes?" I asked. No one answered; apparently shocked I was so close with the Pack. I stood there for a second, but sighed and gave up, walking towards the kitchen when no one offered.

I opened the refrigerator, grabbing the food and giving it a quick sniff to make sure it was still fresh. I should probably nix that habit; the Pack ate everything long before its expiration date. I closed it and gasped when I saw that Emmett and Alice ad been standing behind it.

"Jeez, guys. Don't do that."

"Bella, you asked for volunteers." I rolled my eyes and threw Emmett a knife.

"You cut these into dime sized rounds." I put the vegetables on the cutting board, then turned to Alice. "You can cook the meat if you want, or you can take desert." I knew before she even said it that she would do desert, so I reached back into the refrigerator and pulled out several different things.

She grinned at me, noticing that I had started moving before she said anything. I grinned back. She was already forgiven in my book; she hadn't chosen to leave, Edward had made her.

I started on the meat, pulling out enough hamburger meat to put the cow back together again. I balanced it in one hand as I opened the door to come outside, kicking the door open with the toe of my foot and walking out onto the front porch. I lit the huge grill and walked back inside while it warmed up.

Alice was waiting with questions. Esmé had joined Emmett while I was gone, and smiled as I came in. I grinned back, then turned to my pixie friend. "No, I have not changed my style." She pouted, then grinned devilishly. I grimaced; I knew what that meant. Shopping. Yippee.

She fired off different questions, following me around as I got everything ready, throwing Esmé two bags of potatoes. Carlisle, Edward, and Jasper decided to sit at the kitchen table, far out of our way. Or maybe just Emmett's way. He had found the he very much liked to cook large amounts of food.

I pulled out huge pots and pans, making their eyes go real big, brining on Alice's brigade on how much humans ate. I made sure to tell her that humans didn't eat this much normally.

Which brought us around to the question of Renesmee's diet. I was immediately the center of attention, every pair of golden eyes riveted on me. "Renesmee eats human food most of the time with the pack, but she likes to hunt as well. She would hunt all the time if she didn't find eating with Paul so darn funny." I giggled at that. They looked at me questioningly. I just shook my head and muttered, "Wait and see."

Alice immediately started firing off questions again, moving away from the subject Renesmee. When Most of the meal was finally done, I threw my mental shield to the surrounding area, coving roughly three miles. I felt Jake and Renesmee on the way up the drive, going slowly.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, then turned to them. They were looking at me again, concerned. Apparently I had missed one of Alice's questions. "Jake and Ren are on their way, as are Sam and Emily." They frowned, trying to listen.

"I don't hear them." Said Carlisle, confused. I smiled a bit.

"Give it a minute, they're about three miles out." I turned back to the stove, ignoring them for a second. "Renesmee doesn't know much about her father. She probably made the connection today, though she only saw you for a minute. I haven't really told her much about you guys." I went silent, listening as I heard first the stereo from Jake's car, then the engine, as it got within a mile.

I turned back and put the last thing on the vast table, standing back to look at my handiwork. The fifteen foot long table was covered. I nodded in satisfaction, then turned my attention back to my audience.

"Chow time."


	3. Chow Time

_I'm only starting Chapter 6 now, and I have a lot of other stories, so updates might be a little...shakey. Enjoy!_

_I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS_

**Chapter 3**

The first to arrive was Emily, who was riding on Sam's back. She jumped down, grinning at me, the scarred half of her face still frozen in a grimace. "Hey, Bella! Sorry I'm late. My ride didn't get there on time." Sam disappeared into the garage and came back a few minutes later in human form, clothed in a plain t-shirt and sweat pants.

He immediately pulled Emily into his arms and gave her quick peck on the lips before turning to face me. "Need help with the drinks?"

"Always." I said, grinning. Alice and Emmett followed me, Emily, and Sam to a shed beside the house, which I opened with a flourish. I smiled at Alice's reaction. This was the food shed, which no one was allowed to touch but me and people I gave permission to.

Right inside the double doors, the walls were lined with tons of snacks and soda. "I think we'll need about eight." Even though I was a vampire, I didn't grow more than two hands. I threw them over my shoulders to Emmett, Alice, and Sam, but handed them to Emily.

"Jeez, these people sure eat a lot." Muttered Emmett, grinning. I smiled back.

"Today is Friday. _All_ the Pack comes for dinner at my place on Friday, then we go to the beach. It's kind of a tradition." I shrugged and led them back to the house, arriving at the same time Jacob pulled in outside.

Renesmee must have been really excited, because she was in the kitchen within seconds. "What's for dinner?" She asked, strolling into the kitchen, pretending to be calm, but her eyes were lit with curiosity and excitement as she took in all the Cullens.

"The usual." I answered, smiling at her. She grinned and pulled me into a hug as Jake came in, glaring openly at Edward, but smiling a bit at the rest of the Cullens. I wondered why.

"So, we have company." She strolled up to Carlisle first, grinning at him. She held out her hand. "I'm Renesmee, but you can call me Ren or Nessie, whichever you prefer."

Carlisle took her hand and shook it for a moment, watching her curiously. He noticed Ren's high temperature, but didn't seem to be surprised. "I'm Carlisle and this is my wife Esmé." At this Ren lost her composure and threw her arms around Esmé in a bear hug.

"I've heard about you! Mom absolutely adores you." She turned to Alice while I shook my head back and forth in mock embarrassment. "And Alice, the shop-o-holic!" She immediately threw her arms around her and whirled her around, making Sam and Emily laugh a bit. Alice was grinning from ear to ear, thrilled with her new friend.

"Jasper!" Ren moved on to hug Jasper as well, much to his surprise. "Emmett!" She cried, releasing Jasper and hurling into Emmett's arms, practically tackling him. "Mom's told me a lot about you. I have a feeling we're gonna get along." Emmett laughed, hugging her back, obviously liking his niece.

"And Rose!" She grinned widely at Rose, offering a hug as well. To our surprise, Rose accepted, hugging her with enthusiasm. Then she turned to Edward. She was a bit cautious, but still marched right up to him and looked him in the eye. "You're Edward, aren't you." Edward smiled, seeming to like Renesmee. "Yes." He replied.

She grinned hugely at him and pulled him into a hug. He seemed shocked for a minute, but returned it almost immediately. I began to feel a bit hopeful that he would like Renesmee. She was so endearing though.

She pulled back and looked at him for a minute, then deliberately reached for his face. I quickly said "Ren, you should ask permission. Manners."

She turned to me, annoyed, but sighed and turned back to Edward. "Can I show you something?" He looked a bit confused, but nodded. She pressed her hot hand to his face and he stiffened immediately. Jasper grabbed his arm, ready to pull him away, but Ren was already done.

Edward shook his head as if trying to clear it, then looked at Renesmee. "What _was_ that?"

She smiled. "My power. I'm kind of like your opposite. Instead of reading minds and memories, I can transmit my own through my hand. It's a lot faster than describing something, no?" She turned to walk back over to the table, her eyes sparkling when she saw all the food. "When do we eat?"

"Yeah." Seemed to be the only thing Edward could say. He was staring at Renesmee. The silence that followed was interrupted by Embry, who came in through the garage door, saying "Hey, Bella."

Renesmee squealed and threw herself at him, making him laugh as she hugged him. "Careful, Nessie. You're gonna brake me."

After that, the atmosphere diffused more and more as different members of the Pack came in and greeted me and Nessie. She would always be Nessie to them, they had watched her grow up.

All of the Pack seemed fine with the Cullens being there, but they all seemed to give Edward a meaningful look, which confused me. They knew he could read minds, I had told them that, but I wondered what they were saying.

I was too distracted to notice anything else, as I was trying to keep the Pack from attacking the food before everybody got there. Finally, Quil walked in and we could start. I quickly pulled the Cullens away from the table, giving them a little grin. All the wolves and Nessie crowded around the table, plates at the ready, but didn't touch anything.

I put the serving spoons in each pot, then stood back. "On your mark." The crouched a bit, hands hovering above the spoons. "Get set." They all tensed, big goofy grins plastering their faces. "Go." Instantly they were upon the food, grabbing the handles of spoons and throwing a big glob on their plate.

I went to stand beside Emmett as he watched the show with a mixture of humor and disgust on his face. He didn't like human food, but could appreciate the spectacle.

"Sis, you have one _huge_ family." Said Emmett, grinning. I looked up at him in surprise; he had called me sis. He smiled at my expression. "It may reek of dog here, but your still my little sis."

I smiled at him and hugged him round the waist. Alice saw and immediately latched onto my waist, grinning. I hugged her and Emmett, happy that I at least saw them again. I didn't think Rose would stay and Emmett would follow Rose. Jasper I was a little shaky on, but he usually followed Alice and she seemed like she was adamant on staying.

I looked at Carlisle and Esmé, who hand their arms around each other in a half hug, watching the Pack. Carlisle looked interested and was smiling slightly, and I could see that Esmé already thought of my wolf pack as family.

I looked at Edward last, wondering what his reaction was to his daughter. He was watching Renesmee, his face unreadable, but his eyes swam with something I hadn't seen before. Sensing my gaze, his eyes turned to me.

I smiled a bit, quickly turning back to the table. Even though I loved Edward with all my heart, I couldn't forgive him for leaving that easily. He still hadn't spoken to me directly.

It took more than an hour for them to quiet down enough to start fighting over the scraps. Renesmee always backed out of this part, preferring to watch with me. She walked up to me and hooked an arm around my waist as I hooked mine over her shoulders.

"Hey, Mom. Wanna get ready?" I smiled and nodded, motioning for Carlisle and the rest of the vampires to follow me. We walked through the living room and up the stairs, me and Renesmee pulled apart and walked separate ways. The Cullens followed me.

"Do you guys want to swim, or watch?" I asked over my shoulder. "I have tons of extra swim stuff."

"I'll swim." Said Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice. "I'd just like to watch if you don't mind." Was Carlisle and Esmé's answers. I listened for Edward's but he didn't answer.

I shrugged and headed into the spare bedroom, darting into the closet. I came out with a hug box f swimwear. "The wolves haven't touched these yet, so they shouldn't stink." I said, grinning and dumping it out on the bed. It was filled with everything from swim trunks to one-piece swimsuits to bikinis.

They sorted through it quickly, Alice found a cute one piece and Rose found a bikini while the boy found swim trunks. I turned and opened the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out my own bathing suite. I had taken to wearing bikinis, simply because they were easy. I usually wore a t-shirt over it.

"The bathroom is down the hall, third to the left. Don't mind the mess." I grinned; Renesmee always left her stuff out.

"Thanks, Bella!" said Alice, giving me a quick hug before darting out with Rose. I walked back into the closet and came out with all the blankets for tonight.

The remaining Cullens looked confused. I laughed. "They're for after swimming. It gets a bit chilly for the humans, namely Emily. Plus everyone likes to sleep on the beach. We light a bonfire and roast marshmallows."

They smiled at this. Esmé came forward and offered help. I grinned, handing her a stack and going back for another. Alice and Rose reappeared and the boys disappeared, switching out. I marched down the stairs with a basket of swim trunks, throwing it at Jake, who was waiting in the living room.

"Did you soak the pots and pans?" I asked, grinning at him. He grinned back and nodded. I continued with the stack of blankets tucked under my arm, walking out to the huge jeep and throwing them in the back. Esmé copied me.

I returned to the house to find the rest of them waiting with the Cullens. They all looked at me for instruction. "I have to change, so I'll meet you there in a few minutes. I'll run, so you can take the Jeep and set up."

The wolves nodded, whooping and running around like they hadn't just ate a whole buffet. I turned to the Cullens. "You won't all fit in one Jeep and Rose will complain about the smell, so," I threw them a key chain. "You can take the other Jeep."

I looked at Edward, who hadn't said much at all. "Edward, you never answered me. Do you want to swim?"

He smiled a bit and said and a confident "Yes." I nodded.

"Me and Edward will catch up to you in a few minutes." Jake frowned and looked at me, then Edward, but didn't say anything. Renesmee came down, dressed in a bikini with a towel-robe thing over it and her hair in a pony tail. "Renesmee, do you want to ride with the Cullens?" I asked her.

"Yay!" She said, grinning and running to spring lightly onto Emmett's shoulders like she was four. She didn't weigh much to a vampire, so Emmett didn't mind and Rose was just smiling at Renesmee.

Within seconds, me and Edward were alone.


	4. First Beach

_Okay, I'm begging you to not be angry with my lack of updates. I keep getting new ideas and start them - then forget what happens next and have to leave it. I am working on Chapter 6...but I think I'm going to have to chose one story to focus on right now. I'll probably do this one, simply because I'm the farthest from the end, but I haven't decided yet._

_I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT_

**Chapter 4: First Beach**

I smiled at him politely, and made a move to pass him and go change. His arm reached out and barred my way. I looked at him questioningly.

He was staring at me, his eyes and his face matching for the first time since I had seen him. He looked at me like he used to.

I stared at him in shock, surprised by the sudden change. He looked like he wanted to say something, but I cut him off with a finger against his lips.

"Edward," I started, looking at him, "I still love you and there's really nothing I can do about that, but you don't love me. I get that, and I'm willing to compromise. Renesmee has never known her father – it's always been me and her and Jake. She needs to know you, so I'm willing to let you stay and to be with her." His lips started to move under my fingertip, so I pinched it gently closed with my thumb as well. "You don't need to say anything. I'll be fine. We need to get to the beach before they start without us."

I walked past him and darted up the stairs and into my room. Though it killed me to admit it, Edward would have to stay. I would have to see him day after day and I would have to be careful not to push him. He didn't have to love me to love Renesmee.

I sighed and changed quickly into the swim suit I had thrown in on my way past the door. I looked for my t-shirt, but I didn't see it here. With a groan, I realized I had only pulled out my swim suit and had forgotten the shirt. I didn't want to ruin another shirt, so I peeked out into the hall.

I didn't see Edward, so I darted out and quickly ran towards the spare bedroom, where I promptly ran into Edward's chest. I leaped back, alarmed, then I realized that he would have needed to pick out swim trunks too.

He seemed very surprised to see me, and even more surprised to see me half naked. I ducked past him as quick as I could and roughly pulled open the dresser drawer, making it fly all the way out. I growled a bit and set in on the bed, quickly finding the shirt and pulling it on as fast as I could, acutely aware of Edward watching me. If I had still been human, my face would have set a record.

I shoved the drawer back into the dresser and turned to face him like nothing had happened. "Ready to go?" I asked, fully taking in the picture of Edward in swim trucks. If I hadn't already seen him naked I would have had to ogle.

He smiled my favorite lop-sided grin and said "Yes" quietly. I nodded and pretended to be indifferent to him as I shooed him out of the room and turned off the lights.

I ran out the front door, hearing Edward catch up instantly and drawing level. I didn't respond to his presence, but pretended to make light conversation. "So, where have you been in the last century? Africa? South America?"

I chuckled a bit at my pathetic attempt, but answered anyway. "We lived in Europe for a bit, then Alaska, then Asia." I nodded. "You?"

"We mostly move around Seattle and the areas surrounding Forks. I like to stay near the Rez." Our conversation lulled, petering into an uncomfortable silence. I was glad when we made it to First Beach.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Emily had dropped by her house and grabbed an acoustic guitar for Renesmee for later.

I was greeted by a chorus of "Bella"s and "Bell"s, making me grin broadly, carefully tucking my feelings away. I greeted them loudly and waved as we approached.

"Ready to go cliff diving, Bells?" Asked Jake, grinning and pulling me into a bear hug.

"Absolutely." I said, grinning at him and lining up at the edge with the rest of the group. I looked at sideways and smiled at the weirdness of it all. Every few brown skinned guys, there was a spot of snow white, making the vampires stand out in stark contrast. Our skin sparkled slightly as the sun slowly sank towards the horizon, but I wasn't concerned; there was no one around to see it.

"On three." Called Jake, grinning as he turned his attention to the water below, which had turned a deep navy blue as the sun was half missing.

"One…two…three!" We all leaped, letting the air rush past my ears and energize my body with the adrenaline rush. We all hit the water at different times, Jake hitting before I did. He was taller.

We all stayed underwater for a second, letting the water silence the world. Jake went up before I did; he needed air and I didn't. Instead I swam down and found the bottom, crouching on it and forming myself into an arrow. I exerted as much force as I was capable of, cracking the bottom slightly as I launched towards the surface.

I flew out of the water and about halfway up the cliff, then I reached out and grabbed a rock that was jutting out, using it as leverage to crawl up the face of the cliff. I emerged at the top before anyone else, laughing as Jake and the werewolves muttered about cheating and the vampires chuckled at my display.

I walked up to Esmé and Carlisle – who were sitting on the logs around the fire at a safe distance – grinning. I sat down beside Esmé and watched Emmett appear first, closely followed by Jake and the rest. They were all wet and laughing. I even saw Paul jab Jasper in a playful punch and Jasper grin back. It almost felt like a family.

Sam and Emily were swaddled in blankets closer to the fire and were laughing at us. Renesmee did her best to look indignant, then walked up to them and shook her wet hair out right above them and burst out laughing as they cringed from the water. They laughed even harder when she shook herself like a dog.

As the evening passed I saw them get more and more familiar with the Cullens. Esmé and Emily talked and laughed about something while Emmett and Paul mocked each other, Jasper and Embry found it incredibly funny to both liked to play small pranks throughout the evening. Even Rose took a liking to verbally fighting with Jake. They were like a brother and sister, but with just a little more animosity.

Soon we all settled down to dry beside the fire and talk. We used all of the blankets, much to the surprise of Esmé, and all sat down together. I hadn't really taken a notice of the werewolf smell, but I was so used to it, it didn't matter – Rosalie, however, refused to touch one that smelled like 'wet dog', so we ended up giving her the one that I had held closest to my body when I carried them.

When we were all settled, Emily pulled out the guitar and offered it to Renesmee, who smiled and took it. I protected all our thoughts, wanting us all to be surprised by the song. She started to sing the song that she had based on what I had told her about Edward. Her voice flitted through the words, making them sound perfect. She was a very good singer.

_**(Our Song by Taylor Swift)**_

_I was riding shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car  
He's got one-hand feel on the steering wheel  
The other on my heart  
I looked around, turn the radio down  
He says baby is something wrong?  
I say nothing I was just thinking how we don't have a song  
And he says... _

[Chorus]  
Our song is the slamming screen door,  
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow  
Cause it's late and your mama don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"  
And when I got home ... fore I said amen  
Asking God if he could play it again

I was walking up the front porch steps after everything that day  
Had gone all wrong and been trampled on  
And lost and thrown away  
Got to the hallway, well on my way to my lovin' bed  
I almost didn't notice all the roses  
And the note that said...

[Repeat Chorus]

I've heard every album, listened to the radio  
Waited for something to come along  
That was as good as our song...

Cause our song is the slamming screen door  
Sneaking out late, tapping on his window  
When we're on the phone and he talks real slow  
Cause it's late and his mama don't know  
Our song is the way he laughs  
The first date "man, I didn't kiss him, and I should have"  
And when I got home,fore I said amen  
Asking God if he could play it again

I was riding shotgun with my hair undone  
In the front seat of his car  
I grabbed a pen and an old napkin  
And I... wrote down our song.....

She let the last chord ring, smiling slightly and watching Edward's reaction. I tactfully avoided the eyes of everyone there and stared at the fire instead. When the silence became uncomfortable, Renesmee started a different song. She chose one we all knew, encouraging us to sing along.

After we got a bit, people started dropping off to sleep. Renesmee came to sit by me and she was soon asleep with her head in my lap.

I smiled as I watched her sleep, completely hypnotized. The first time I had watched Renesmee sleep I had understood why Edward had chosen to stay while I slept. I didn't realize anyone had approached until he spoke, sitting Indian style across from me.

"She's beautiful when she's asleep. Same as her mother." I smiled up at Edward, then went back to stroking her cheek and hair. I would've blushed if I could.

"She looks just like her dad, too." I smiled a bit at him, and he grinned.

"Bit of a shame she doesn't talk in her sleep like you. I would've enjoyed that." He replied. I smiled and picked up her hand, careful not to wake her, and set it against his cheek. He smiled and reached up, securing both of our hands there and closing his eyes. I didn't pay attention to the other vampires in the clearing that were probably watching, just letting myself feel.

We stayed like that for a bit, my skin almost vibrating with the pleasure of touching him again. "That song she played," Edward said, opening his eyes to look at me. "Did she base it on something?"

I nodded, regretfully sliding my hand out from under his and returning it to Renesmee's face, stroking her soft cheek and looking at her face. "Yes."

Edward waited for me to continue, so I complied, deciding to tell the truth. "She based it on everything I've told her about how we met and after that. She created it when she was about six years old."

I didn't take my eyes off Ren's face, dropping the conversation there. We sat there all night, watching our daughter sleep.


	5. My Life

_Sorry for such a short chapter, but I've been procrastingating writing; I have writer's block. So basically, this is a little filler. It helps understand Bella's feelings a bit, and how much her new family cares about her, even though she is a vampire._

**Chapter 5**

Edward let go of Renesmee's hand shortly before dawn, gently tucking it back to her side, and waited for her to wake up. A minute later, she opened her eyes and sat up, looking around.

She smiled at Edward and turned to me. "Time to go?" I nodded; we needed to get back and get showers before Renesmee went to school.

Edward got up in one fluid motion, offering a hand to both Renesmee and me. We both grinned and took it, simultaneously pulling him down with us while using him to stand so we ended up reversed with me and Ren standing and Edward on the sand.

He flipped over and laughed with us, rolling his eyes. I offered my hand, but firmly planted my feet on the ground so he couldn't use the same trick. He gave me a disgruntled look, but took my offer.

When we were all standing, me and Renesmee went through the wolves, shaking shoulders to wake them up and whispering that it was almost dawn. Edward started to pack up the blankets. The air was filled with the moans of disgruntled sleepers as they dragged themselves up.

Within about fifteen minutes all the vampires had cleaned up our campsite and all the werewolves had managed to get on their feet.

"I'm serving coffee at my place. Anyone who doesn't have patrol can come if they want." I said, shoving the last blanket into the back of the Jeep. "Who's driving and who's running?" I asked, turning to face the group.

"I'll run again." Said Edward, smiling. He had always loved to run. "Me too." Said Renesmee, stretching a bit. I nodded, sliding into the driver's seat of the Jeep. Soon we were all packed into the Jeeps; me with the Cullens and the werewolves in the other.

"See ya at home!" I said, waving at Renesmee as I pulled away. She waved back, then beckoned for Edward to follow.

**EPOV**

Renesmee motioned for me to follow her into the forest, but didn't run. She just walked at a steady pace, waiting for me to follow. I quickly caught up and smiled at her sideways. She was silent, her face unreadable and her mind translating the national anthem into Arabic. Her mother had taught her well.

Finally the silence was too much. "You wanted to talk?" I asked, looking at her sideways. She stopped, turning to face me completely.

She reached up very deliberately just as before, allowing me to pull back if I wanted to. I stayed still, letting her delicate fingers touch my cheek and the memories fill my head.

**--**

_Bella was standing on the first beach, obviously a vampire. She turned when she heard Renesmee's approach, her face incredibly sad, but the expression was gone as fast as it appeared. She smiled at Renesmee, holding out her arms for a hug._

_--_

_Renesmee and Bella at the store, going through the aisles and laughing. They reached the electronics, and Bella sped up a bit. Renesmee noticed her mother's reaction and looked into the section curiously, wondering what had spooked her._

_There was an electric piano on display._

_Renesmee immediately released her mother's hand and ran to it, instantly curious. She had not seen this before and wondered what it did. She pressed a few keys and giggled, turning to show it to her mother._

_Again, Bella's face was twisted in pain, but she quickly changed it into a neutral expression, hiding. Renesmee frowned and asked what was wrong, but Bella just bent over to look her in the eye._

"_Do you want to learn how to play the piano?"_

_--_

Her childhood memories were filled with such situations and along with them came a silent question. _What happened?_

I struggled with words, trying to describe the horrible lie I had told her. Renesmee read my face and suddenly understanding flooded her features. _You left her because you loved her?_ She smiled a bit. _I can't believe you thought that would help. Do you not know Mom at all?_

I shook my head. "Apparently not. I thought she would forget me, like many humans do…so I hurt her and myself trying to protect her."

Renesmee shook her head and smiled a bit. "No. Not Mom. She's way too stubborn and was too deeply in love." I raised my eyebrows in surprise of her knowledge of Bella's feelings. She seemed to understand my confusion. "I remember. I remember how she felt the entire time I was in her. And I remember the pain."

Her eyes grew sad, and to my utter astonishment, she started to cry. I wasn't sure what to do, but I wrapped my arms around her and held her against my chest, trying to soothe her like I used to do with Bella. We stayed like that for a few minutes, then she pulled back slightly to look at me.

"You love her." It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. She went silent, looking at me with a calculating tilt. "Please don't hurt her." It was barely more than a whisper, but it spoke volumes. "If you want her, you'll have to regain her trust and let her know you'll stay. I don't think she would survive if you left again."

And with that, she set off at a brisk run. She was going impossibly fast for a human, but relatively slow for a vampire. She was waiting for me to catch up.

I joined her after a minute, deep in thought. She was incredibly perceptive, probably an inherited trait from Bella, and she had had a consciousness before she was born. She obviously wanted to protect her mother, but wanted me to help her heal Bella. The entire Pack had given me the same warning: _Don't hurt her._


	6. The Best Day

**Chapter 6: The Best Day**

**BPOV**

**(A/N: Okay, I have made a little boo-boo here: Originally it was Friday and I've managed to skip to Monday…so I think I'll just keep it how it is, because I need an excuse to shove Bella and Edward in the same room alone. :)**** )**

Edward and Renesmee arrived a little later than I thought they would, but I shrugged it off and beamed at Renesmee. "Hey, honey. You need to go get ready for school."

She grimaced and stuck out her tongue at me, but went to change and shower. Edward smiled tentatively at me and I smiled back, ripping my eyes from his to settle on Jake. I growled softly, playfully, at him and silently pointed to the staircase. He laughed and ruffled my hair as he strode past me. I stuck out my tongue at him, copying Ren.

I heard his booming laugh echo through the house as I turned back to the room. "Ok. All the Pack needs to leave. I know you all have rotations to do, so don't try to argue with me. Any whiners will be unceremoniously kicked out."

After my soft threat, the whole Pack scrambled to get out, knowing I could take at least four of them on at once. In the corner of my eye I saw Emmett shake with barely controlled laughter. Emily gave me a hug before throwing a swift glance at Edward and mounting her husband.

When they were all gone, I smiled at the Cullens. "Well, now what?"

"How come I randomly can't read some people's minds, but then a few minutes later I can without any problems?" Asked Edward, cocking his head at me. I laughed and grinned wickedly at them.

"Because I can block any of you anytime I wish and I have to have at least a couple surprises." Carlisle immediately looked interested and started to ask, but I cut him off by holding up my hand. "I'm not going to give anything away. All shall be revealed tonight."

"Tonight?" Asked Emmett.

"Tonight is the night we have our monthly wrestling match."

"Oh, and how good are you?" Asked Emmett, a mischievous light coming into his eyes.

"You'll know soon enough." I said, shrugging. I really didn't think much about fighting. "Few of the Pack have the courage to take me on anymore." I shrugged and walked out of the room.

Alice followed, bouncing up and down quickly. I knew that look. "No, Alice." I said, backing away, slightly scared.

EPOV

Bella went outside, quickly followed by Alice, who was determined to dig into her closet. I heard Bella yell from outside "NO WAY, ALICE! Go away!" but it was playful – she didn't mean it in a harsh way. I laughed softly – some things never change, and I highly doubted Bella, who spent most of her days surrounded by boys the size of horses, would change her fashion sense.

The rest of the family was unsure of what to do with ourselves. Jasper was twitching from the tension and Emmett had a very bored look on his face. Bella came running back in a few minutes later, Alice on her heels, and ducked behind Jasper. "Help me!" She cried, putting Jasper between herself and his wife.

Alice had her eyes riveted on what she could see of Bella, trying to duck past Jasper in her attempts to bring Bella into her line of fashion centered reasoning. "Come on, Bella! Living with men the size of elephants has to have scarred your perception of acceptable clothing!"

"I LIKE my clothes, Alice!" Yelled Bella, keeping Jasper between her and the ferocious pixie. "Esmé, why don't you and your family go hunting? I kinda have to work…" Said Bella, looking pleadingly towards Esmé.

Esmé smiled and said "Of course, Bella." _Poor girl has enough to deal with._ She said in her thoughts while gently restraining Alice, who was not at all happy with the new arrangements.

_Look at her! My god, you would think she had never been outside this house the way she dresses!_ Yelled Alice in her mind, but grudgingly agreed to leave. I frowned.

"May I stay? I had already hunted before…" I said, really wanting a chance to talk to Bella. My family seemed to understand quickly, all quickly leaving out the back door. Bella looked nervous.

"Relax. I won't bite you." I said, smiling her favorite crooked smile at her. If she could blush, she probably would have.

"I have to work on my essay…" She muttered, heading into a large room adjacent to the living room that I hadn't noticed. I followed quietly, intrigued, and was surprised at what I found.

The room itself was large, but very cluttered. Most of the walls were covered in posters that had the most popular bands in various poses. The room was mostly filled with musical instruments – ranging from guitars to a baby grand piano in the corner – and almost every available surface was covered in pieces of paper. It was absolute chaos in there except for a little corner that oddly neat.

Bella was sitting in this corner coaxing a rather large computer to life. I navigated my way through the disaster zone towards her, but something caught my eye. I took a closer look at the pieces of paper and realized that they were all songs, hand written. I picked up the closest stack and examined it.

It was titled "The Best Day" and was for guitar, not overly complicated but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was in Bella's writing. Underneath the title, it said "Dedicated to Renee and Charlie Swan – the best parents ever." I looked up at Bella, who was studying my face thoughtfully.

"What did you find?" She asked, rising sinuously to her feet and floating over to me. I marveled quietly at how graceful she was compared to her human clumsiness. She barely made a sound, even to my over-sensitive ears.

She leaned over my shoulder and smiled ruefully at the piece of paper. "Ah. I made that for Renee's funeral." She said quietly, a soft smile on her face. "It was three months after I was turned – she got to see her granddaughter once, at least." She sighed and turned. Then she paused and looked back at me, calculating. "Would you like to hear it?"

I smiled, hoping to reassure her. "I would love to here you play." I said quietly. She nodded and dodged around sever bass instruments and walked over to a pile of guitars. She selected an acoustic and sat on the nearest bench. I followed, careful to keep my distance even though all I wanted was to hug her.

_**(The Best Day by Taylor Swift)**_

I'm five years old and it's getting cold  
I've got my big coat on  
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you  
I run and run  
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides  
Look now the sky is gold  
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall  
I know you're not scared of anything at all  
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away  
But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean  
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys  
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away  
And we talk and window shop till I forgot their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school  
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you  
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel ok  
But I know I had the best day with you today

I had an excellent father  
His strength has made me stronger  
God smiles on my little brother  
Inside and out he's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run and hide  
And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three  
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me  
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs  
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lad in the whole wide world

Now i know why all the trees change in the fall  
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong  
And I love you for giving me your eyes  
Staying back and watching me shine and I didn't know if you knew  
So I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today

She ended quietly, letting the last chord ring.

I looked intently at her, waiting for her to meat my eyes. She avoided my gaze for a minute, but eventually her golden eyes latched onto my own.

"Bella, I have some things to explain." I said huskily, still a bit overwhelmed by the emotion of her song. She kept my eyes, giving me silent permission to continue.

**_Yay! Finally, I know. I should be flogged for my procastination skills, but really - I have a problem. I usually drop stories in the middle when I get bored. I really don't want to do that with this one, but I'm running out of ideas...*sigh* Well, I hope you enjoyed with this one. Sorry about the bit of cliffy._**


	7. Confessions

I know what you're thinking - "No way, she actually updated?!" - and I really have no excuse, really. I'm tired of it, almost. *sigh* So, I'm putting this story up for adoption after the ring fight. One condition, though - NO LEMONS.

_**Muahahahahaha! I have the power – the power to give powers! In this story, Edward cannot read Renesmee's mind - only when Renesmee decides! Muahahahaha!**_

**Chapter 7: Confessions**

"_Bella, I have some things to explain."_

**BPOV**

My whole stomach convulsed at his words and I was silently thankful that I couldn't throw up. This is what I was dreading, and yet, I knew I needed to hear it. I had to sit here and listen to him tell me he didn't love me so I could finally get it through my thick skull. But I wouldn't move on. I was physically incapable of loving any other man than the one sitting in front of me.

I stared at his eyes, memorizing every line and curve of his marvelous face. His eyes were a light amber from his recent hunt and they were looking at me as if trying to communicate something urgent – something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"Bella, your eighteenth birthday made me realize something. My whole family – myself included – was putting you in harms way each time one of us touched you, or were even near you. Jasper's lapse in control woke me from the most wonderful dream and made me realize we had to leave." He said, pain leaking from every word, making it impossible for me to doubt his sincerity.

"I decided to do my best to protect you and your human life – I couldn't bear to change you with your entire life ahead of you. So I decided to leave, protect you from my world, force you to live a human existence. Human memories fade, I knew I would too and that is what I feared the most – for myself – for you I wanted so much more. I wanted you to marry a man who could give you everything you deserved – life, children – everything I couldn't give you."

"And yet you gave me all of those." I interrupted him, cocking my head.

"I didn't know I could – and that is another thing I have to apologize for. I left you in the most horrible situation – unwittingly cut you off from anyone who could give you help – and threw you to the dogs, literally. But you must know, Bella – I never would have left you if I knew." I sat there, paralyzed by the obvious truth of his words. He leaned forward and placed both his palms on either side of my face, sending tiny shocks to my frozen heart, and looked intently into my eyes. "The only thing that has kept me sane is the hope that you moved on and had a truly happy life. I have never – for one second – stopped loving you Isabella Marie Swan."

I couldn't say anything. My brain couldn't seem to process it, even though I knew he was telling nothing but the truth. My eyes widened as suddenly I realized his face was inches from my own. I made my decision right then, leaning forward slowly. He leaned towards me as well, and closed the gap.

Our lips met in a soft, sweet kiss. I did my very best to restrain myself, only allowing my right hand to touch the side of his face. He was a little bit less hesitant with his reaction. His right hand came up to twine lightly in my hair and deepened the kiss, moving his lips gently with my own.

I sighed and pulled back lightly, breaking the contact. His fingers slid from my hair and returned to his side and he frowned slightly. I laughed and set the guitar to the side, then kissed him once more, but it was barely more than a peck.

"I think we should start slow. Boyfriend–girlfriend slow." I smiled crookedly at him, hoping he wouldn't take it personally. He frowned at me.

"Aren't we a bit past that?" I laughed lightly.

"Yes, but I still have self-esteem issues and you'll just have to prove you are going to stay – to me _and _Renesmee." I smiled and pulled back, even though I really wanted to stay right where I was.

"You're right." He sighed, resigned. I walked back to my computer – which was now fully booted – and signed in. "Do I at least get to stay in the same house?" He asked tentatively. I laughed. Edward is funny when he's nervous.

"Yes, you and your family can stay – we have plenty of room." I looked up from the screen and smiled at him. "You might want to go claim your room before Alice – I'll show you the ones that are free." I got up and walked back into the living room and up the stairs, Edward inches behind me.

I pointed to the empty rooms as we passed them, and gave him a tour of the house. We ended up back in the living room. "Which one are you gonna take?" I asked, curious. He smiled and slipped his arm around my waist, hugging me against his body without breaking eye contact.

"I was thinking the white one closest to yours." He said carefully. I smiled and nodded, slipping my arms around his neck.

"I thought so – it has the best view." I said, grinning. He laughed.

"Yes, I suppose it does."

He leaned down carefully and placed a sweet, but small kiss on my jaw, trying not to be overly enthusiastic, I could tell.

"Well, I guess that means we're going to be hanging around." I jumped a bit at the round of Emmett's booming voice and turned to see the whole Cullen family standing there, watching. I laughed, slightly embarrassed.

"Yes, and you can even have your own rooms." I gently pulled out of Edward's embrace. "Edward can show you where they are."

"I want the one next to yours!" Said Alice, bouncing up and down.

"Sorry, Alice. Edward already laid claim to that one." I said, shrugging.

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "Won't you and Eddie be sharing?" He said in mild surprise.

"Nope." I popped the 'p'. "Ren needs to at least get used to him before I let him share a room with me." I explained lightly.

Esmé nodded, pleased. Carlisle looked a bit thoughtful **(when is he **_**not**_** thoughtful?)** and Emmett and Rosalie looked incredulous. Jasper looked doubtful, probably sensing my mood, and Alice was still disappointed about the room.

"Yeah. Let's see how long that lasts." Muttered Emmett, just loud enough so his wife and Jasper, who was closest besides Rose, could hear. If I hadn't had really, really good hearing – twice as sharp as a normal vampire's – I wouldn't have caught it.

"Yes, Emmett. But that is one rule that will not be broken very easily." I smiled angelically at his shocked expression and turned on my heel, returning to the music/office room.

I heard Edward showing everyone the rooms – Alice complaining the entire time – and then surmised Alice chose the one with the second-best view. Carlisle and Esmé chose the largest one besides my own. Rose and Emmett chose the one closest to Renesmee's.

"Um, Rose." I called, hearing this decision. "You do know that Jacob has the room right beside yours, don't you? After you chose that, you can't complain about the smell – ever." I said. Silence. She switched to the one beside Alice and Jasper's, close to Renesmee, but not too close to Jacob's room. I laughed lightly, shaking my head and refocusing on the essay I was supposed to be correcting.

I had been going to collage many times – I even went to Harvard for a few years – but right now I was an online teacher. I jumped a bit when Edward's velvet voice whispered in my ear.

"What are you doing?" I smiled.

"Correcting an essay from one of my students, why?" He seemed surprised.

"You're a teacher?" He asked. I laughed.

"Online teacher – I pose as the 'teacher's seventeen year old daughter when my students need a face-to-face. I have a lot of emergency doctor visits." I grinned at him. He smiled and shook his head.

"Mom!" Yelled Renesmee, slamming the door closed as she came stomping in. "Can I have permission to break someone's nose?" She never was tactful when angry.

"Which boy tried to hit on you now?" I asked, sighing.

"Jonathan Newton." She growled. I laughed and shook my head.

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I said, grinning at Edward, who was looking at me incredulously.

"I'm missing something." Said Renesmee, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Mike Newton was one of your mother's die-hard admirers." Said Edward, shaking his head. "I take it this is his grandson?" I nodded and returned my attention to my very annoyed daughter.

"You can punch him – " Renesmee started to cheer. "- if he tries to get fresh." She nodded, a calculating look coming into her eyes. "And you are not allowed to misguide him." I added for good measure. She scowled.

"You're no fun, Mom." She muttered, glaring.

"I know." I said, grinning. I got up and held my arms out for a hug, which she grudgingly accepted. "Now you can do whatever you want – you are free from school." I said.

She grinned, her eyes glittering with amusement. "Tonight is going to be fun. I can't wait to see their faces." She snickered, glancing at Edward.

Edward raised a questioning eyebrow. I just laughed.


End file.
